


Blood and Death

by ValkyrieShepard



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, Comfort, Emotional Sex, Fear of Death, Heart Disease, Hurt, M/M, Modern, Modern AU, Smut, Top Thanatos, blowjob, bottom Zagreus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:41:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23119390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValkyrieShepard/pseuds/ValkyrieShepard
Summary: Zagreus works as a bartender at his father's bar, The House of Hades, where a famous doctor had become his regular. When he finally thinks he gets taken on a date, Thanatos, who is never wrong, detects something with his heart. An emotional night follows.
Relationships: ThanZag, Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Zagreus/Thanatos, Zagreus/Thanatos (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 325





	Blood and Death

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this [ post! ](https://twitter.com/love88212/status/1232323355472093184)

The House of Hades - the town’s most popular bar of the rich and famous. Gold, black, and red. Classy combination of colours, furniture, and the most expensive liquor from all over the world. The atmosphere inside was much like its founder: A little threatening, but mostly calm. A very specific clientele came here, a clientele that expected to be treated a certain way. The House of Hades provided everything, well, almost everything that money could buy but most of all it provided privacy.

Zagreus wasn’t interested in what his clientele did on their off time, overhearing their secrets was something he was used to by now. Besides, his father had made the consequences of betraying their clientele’s trust abundantly clear and he was not going to be stupid enough to go against one of the richest men in town. He had worked as a bartender here since he had turned 21, finally time for him to ‘pay his dues’, Hades had said.

There were worse jobs, he supposed. At least he got to live out his creativity in creating new drinks, working with the highest quality ingredients. He found joy in that while he tried to figure out what to do with his life. A few years had passed and he had switched majors at the local ivy league university a few times, unable to pinpoint what exactly it was he wanted to do with his life.

His father’s scorn was constantly on his tail. But he did a good job at the bar and that, that was something Hades could not argue against.

For a long time Zagreus had been wondering where he would go with his life, or if he was happy to stay where he was and perhaps eventually take over, if his father deemed him worthy. But then, every other day, _he_ would walk in, and Zagreus’ thoughts were anchored in the here and now.

Thanatos. A rather famous doctor from the private hospital in town. His instincts, or his skill, were apparently so good that people from all over the country flew out to see him. No matter how obscure the diagnosis, Mr. Thanatos here always knew the answer. Zagreus had indeed forgotten his last name but never did he forget his eyes, the way he walked, how he always sat down at the bar at the same place. Closest to him.

Zagreus was pretty sure that it meant something.

“Goood evening,” Zagreus said with his best smile, and set down Thanatos’ usual drink in front of him. Gin and tonic. Something simple, but his first sip was always accompanied with that moment where his eyes were closed as if it was ambrosia that he was tasting.

“Good evening,” Thanatos finally said to him. He glanced up briefly, at the gold and red laurels on Zagreus’ head.

“Company policy, you know,” Zagreus told him. He leaned in closer over the bar, looking into Thantaos’ lovely eyes. “I’ll tell you a secret, Hades is not my father’s real name. But he likes the whole Greek mythology theme.”

“You don’t say,” he said with a raised eyebrow.

“Zagreus is my real name though. I would never lie to you,” he replied with a wink.

“Wouldn’t have dreamed of it,” Thanatos shot back. But oh there it was, Zagreus was so close! The twitch of the corner of his mouth! Would he be rewarded with one of his rare smiles today? The one that always made his knees weak…?

“You seem in a good mood today,” Zagreus poured himself some soda, no drinking on the job after all. “Celebrating something?”

“A break up,” Thanatos replied. He had already downed his first drink and made the soft tapping motion of wanting another. Zagreus happily obliged. He hadn’t known Thanatos had been in a relationship but now… well he wasn’t anymore, was he?

“I’m sorry to hear,” he said, but almost with a smile. No, that wasn’t good form, he had to be the sympathetic bartender.

“It’s okay, you can smile,” and then Thanatos did just that. Good think Zagreus was already leaning on the bar, or his legs might have given out. “I honestly don’t even know anymore how I ended up in it. The relationship was…. Not good. Did not last long either.”

“Well then good riddance!,” Zagreus said, and offered his glass that Thanatos clinked his own against. They both drank, and Zagreus stood again, wavering on his feet a moment. “Oof, dizzy…”

“Does that happen to you often?,” Thanatos asked.

Zagreus just shrugged. It happened sometimes, but he had always figured it was no big deal. Somehow though, Thanatos was squinting at him, and that lovely smile had faded. Aw, was he worried about him? Zagreus supposed that there was no one else who could pour a gin and tonic quite like him. Leaning over the bar again, Zagreus smiled at him - his most charming smile.

“You worried about me?,” he asked.

“You should come see me tomorrow,” Thanatos told him. “Around two. I had an appointment that got cancelled.”

“Oh er… sure?” Zagreus hadn’t expected him to be serious or… was this Thanatos’ way of asking him out, because he was too shy to properly do so?

As Thanatos stood, he slid his business card over the bar towards Zagreus, and gave him a nod. Cash usually wasn’t handed to him, most money, including tips, were sent over through their credit cards. Thanatos always tipped very well.

He took the card and had to smile to himself. He was going to see Thanatos tomorrow, outside of work! Zagreus was already imagining all the possibilities of… examinations. He would surely have to take his shirt off, wouldn’t he? Early the next day he made sure he was very presentable. A thorough shower, mouth wash, trimming some of his hair just the way he liked it, then styling the one on his head in that perfect way he did, making it seem that it was messy when in truth it took him almost an hour to get it right.

Not being able to contain his excitement, he ended up texting Achilles, who was the manager at his father’s place, but also his friend. He sent him a picture of himself in his nice dress shirt with the text _Seeing the doctor today :3_.

Promptly, Achilles called him.

“Are you okay, Zagreus?,” he asked.

“Yes, yes, it’s just his way of asking me out…. I think,” Zagreus added.

“Oh, Doctor Thanatos, is it?” He could practically hear the smile in Achilles’ voice.

“Yep,” he replied with a spring in his step. He was already on his way out. “Think about it, it’s the perfect way to feel me up.”

“Isn’t he… famous? Don’t you think if he wanted to ask you out he would ask you out?”

“He’s shy!,” Zagreus pointed out. “He barely even smiles. Maybe he just needs a little nudge.”

“Well, I hope so,” Achilles said with a chuckle. “Still, if he offers his expertise, may as well take it.”

“Sure, Achilles, I’ll talk to you later.” With a smile he shook his head at the call. Achilles worried too much, just like he always did.

His step was light on the way to the hospital, and he couldn’t help but smile when he announced his presence at the reception. The nurse there gave him an odd look, but Zagreus was too busy fixing his hair in the reflection of the glass in the door next to them. He was directed to sit down and wait in another area, and it wasn’t too long until Thanatos poked his head out the door of what was apparently his examination room to call him inside.

He looked stunning in the white coat, the neat black dress shirt underneath. Zagreus wondered if it was odd to be wearing black when most others wore white, but then again Thanatos could probably do what he wanted here, with how much money and fame he brought to the hospital.

“Alright, I’ll ask you a few questions,” Thanatos held this little chart and gave him a brief smile, though Zagreus recognised him as being in his work mode. He had the same kind of mode, unless it was Thanatos sitting at his bar of course. “Your full name, birthday…”

They went through a few basic questions in which Zagreus teased and smiled at Thanatos, until that smile, too, changed. He wasn’t going to have this be just an _examination_ , and if he knew anything about Thanatos, it was that he needed a bit of a push to get flirty.

“I’d like to listen to your heart now, could you please unbutton your shirt,” Thanatos got up from his chair, readying his stethoscope. He almost froze in his tracks when Zagreus grinned at him and did just as he was asked.

“You know, you didn’t have to go through all this trouble just to get me to take my shirt off,” he stepped closer, now finishing on the last button. He relished in the way Thanatos’ eyes drifted over his torso. “All you needed to do was ask.”

“Zagreus this is-,” he broke off when Zagreus reached out to take his hand, and pressed it to his chest. “An… an examination. Please-”

“Go on then. Listen.” He was counting on his heart fluttering rapidly in his chest, because that’s exactly what it was doing whenever Thanatos was around. He could get lost in those eyes that weren’t leaving his, even when he adjusted the stethoscope so he could actually listen.

For a moment they just stared at each other, then Zagreus couldn’t hold back anymore. The months of flirting had left him with a hopeless crush that he didn’t think he could have acted on, but finally did. His lips met Thanatos’, and for one terrifying moment they were stiff under his own. Then he suddenly stood, while Zagreus still held his hand to his chest, and deepened the kiss.

Every single one of Zagreus’ dreams came true in that very moment. Thanatos’ lips were even softer than he had imagined, and the way he kissed him even harder. He was ready to sit back down on the examination table to have Thanatos take him, when he pulled away. For a second, he tried to chase the kiss, then blushed. He hadn’t been this hungry for a kiss in years.

“Damn,” Zagreus sighed. “Don’t think I could get enough of that.”

“Zagreus, your heart skipped a beat,” Thanatos told him.

He had to chuckle at that.

“Well yeah, I was nervous! Did I… Was that okay? Why…,” his heart sank. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Be still for a moment,” Thanatos sounded so authoritative suddenly that Zagreus couldn’t help but obey.

He held his breath as Thanatos was listening to his heart again, from this angle, then from another, until he told him to breathe again. Why was he frowning like that? Was there… actually something wrong with him?

Finally Thanatos pulled away, put the stethoscope on his desk and turned away from him. His hand came to pinch the bridge of his nose, and he sighed.

“Than…? What the hell is going on?,” he asked. “You’re scaring me.”

“I shouldn’t,” Thanatos said, and finally Zagreus just walked around him to face him.

“Shouldn’t what? Don’t make a face like that and then not tell me what you’re thinking!”

“I shouldn’t be diagnosing just from listening to your heart.” Finally Thanatos looked at him again, and Zagreus didn’t like the look in his golden eyes.

Death.

Zagreus almost flinched back from him. Where had that thought come from? Was it Thanatos or… the diagnosis? Zagreus found himself shaking.

“Then why do you look like that? You think you know something, don’t you?”

“I don’t know how, but I have never been wrong,” Thanatos said softly. “I don’t need most tests to know, I- I know it sounds ridiculous. But I have these… feelings. And they’ve never been wrong.”

“So what is your feeling this time?,” Zagreus’ voice croaked at the last word. “Tell me.”

“Arrhythmia,” Thanatos’ voice sounded deeper than before. More… final. “Irregular heartbeat.”

“And why do I think that that’s fatal,” Zagreus tried to laugh but it came out as air leaving his nostrils. There was no laughter in him now. “It’s… it’s not, right? Than…?”

“I cannot say without further tests,” Thanatos turned away from him again. “I said too much already. Please, do not trust what I said. We’ll see the extent of it tomorrow. It could be completely harmless.”

“Extent of it? Tomorrow? Than-,” he pulled him by his arm towards him, tears forming in his eyes. The beautiful form of Thanatos was blurry before him. “I have to wait until tomorrow? The- The- Exten…”

His voice faltered. Was he just given a death sentence? He had said… Thanatos was never wrong.

“We don’t have any open slots today, I’m sorry,” Thanatos was looking at him again and he looked… sad. Why was there so much sadness in his eyes?

“How am I gonna get through today?,” Zagreus blurted out. “I can’t- I’m all alone…”

His father hadn’t been around his place in years, and besides, it’s not like Zagreus could tell him he was afraid for his life because of some magical doctor diagnosing him. Hades would laugh in his face at the fear in his heart. His stupid heart.

“Hold out until tonight,” Thanatos whispered to him. Finally his hand came to gently cup his cheek. “I’ll come over. I’ll be there, okay?”

“You promise?,” Zagreus choked back his tears. Holding out for a few hours… he could do that, right?

“I promise. It’s… it’s going to be okay.”

Something in his eyes made Zagreus think that it definitely was not going to be okay. But then Thanatos kissed _him_ this time, and it was so gentle and chaste that he felt like crying all over again. But a few hours. That’s all he needed to get through.

Thanatos sat before him to help him button up his shirt, gentle fingers brushing against his naked skin. This was not how he had expected this to go, to feel so utterly shattered in front of the man he had been pining after for months. But Thanatos stood again and leaned in close, so close that he could feel his breath on his lips.

“I’ll push as many appointments as I can. I promise. Will you be okay to drive?”

Zagreus nodded.

“I’ll go home. I can manage that.”

“Okay. I’ll make the appointments for you,” Thanatos told him, and pulled him into a hug.

But Zagreus had to push away, gave him what he thought was a smile but must have looked like a grimace according to the look on Thanatos’ face. He couldn’t say that he had to leave before he broke down and actually couldn’t drive anymore, so he just gave him a nod and left.

Frankly, he couldn’t tell in the end how exactly he got home. The next thing he knew he was standing in the bodega on the corner and was buying a bottle of whiskey, whatever was strongest that he could get here. The moment he was back in his apartment, all clean and modern, just like his father had wanted, he was grabbing a glass, didn’t bother with the ice, and just poured himself a tall glass.

Why exactly did he believe Thanatos, that he was never wrong like he claimed? Because he had fallen for him? Or was it because of that look in his eyes and the feeling in his chest? Something primal was in there, and something primal between them.

“Maybe he’s a god,” he chuckled to himself, thinking of the name. Yes, his father had been deep into Greek Mythology, hence the whole House of Hades thing. To meet someone named like that… Now he wasn’t so sure anymore that it was coincidence.

He raised his glass to no one.

“To the god of death.”

He downed almost the entire thing in one go, wanting to feel the blissful release that alcohol brought him. That made his thoughts muddled, that made him think maybe dying wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

“At least I got to kiss him,” he told himself. Then paused. “Damn, that sounds really pathetic.”

His chuckled turned into laughter, and with heavy steps he stumbled through the apartment until he made it to his computer. Some music to drown out the thoughts in his head. To drown out his fluttering heart that was apparently going to kill him.

He closed his eyes and raised his glass, let the music seep into his bones and let it move him. The more whiskey was in his system, the more he started to sing along. Songs about death and love and anger, how they came on just at this time, Zagreus did not know. Maybe it was all meant to be.

Every part of his body was starting to feel a little numb by the time he was surprised by Thanatos’ presence in his apartment.

“Whoa hey,” Zagreus giggled. With the way Thanatos had stopped him mid-dance, some of his whiskey had spilled. “Hey, how’d you get in here?”

“You left the door open,” Thanatos told him. “Zag, you’re drunk.”

“Yeah,” he said with a smile. “Felt like the thing to do, don’t you think?”

“It’s not good for you,” Thanatos told him, took the glass of whiskey from him and downed it in one go, just as Zagreus had done earlier.

“Hey that’s mine. You’ll have to get me a new one now,” he had to giggle, and he didn’t know why.

“How about we get some food into you first.”

“Oh hey you went shopping,” Zagreus leaned on Thanatos’ shoulder and noticed all the grocery bags on his kitchen counter. A hand came to rest on his back, and suddenly Zagreus had to sigh. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head so he could take in a deep breath of Thanatos’ scent. “Oh you smell so nice, Than.”

“Alright,” Thanatos’ deep voice was right by his ear and somehow they moved until Zagreus felt something very soft underneath him. The bed. He was tucked in, and felt gentle hands brush through his hair. “Sleep a bit while I cook.”

“‘Mkay,” he mumbled, already feeling himself drawn to the sweet release of sleep.

For a while he felt enveloped in something warm. Something red. Travelling… somewhere. A final destination. How he knew that, he did not know. But the blood around him did not alarm him, it brought a sense of ease to him. Maybe if everything was over, that wasn’t such a bad thing. Maybe it was his time.

8:30 pm.

He had slept almost an hour. The dream of blood was gone and he was back in his bed, a lot more sober. He rubbed the place on his chest where his heart would be, wondering if he eventually would just die in his sleep, where no one would notice. Would Thanatos notice?

The shirt suddenly felt so constricting, and as he scrambled to unbutton it, he struggled, and ripped it apart. The little plink of buttons on the floor made him watch them roll away. He could not be bothered to pick them up. He slipped out of his nice pants and into ones that were more comfortable.

Slowly he traipsed out of his bedroom and saw Thanatos just finishing up. He was wearing an apron - had he brought that with him? Zagreus sure as hell didn’t have any aprons. But it looked cute on him, and he had to smile again, despite the dread in his chest.

“Aren’t you cold?,” Thanatos asked, glancing down at his bare feet.

“Nah, always ran more hot than everyone else.” He looked at the plates Thanatos was finishing up. Spaghetti with meat sauce. Somehow he had expected something more fancy, but he absolutely loved this dish.

A grumble, from below.

Zagreus flushed as Thanatos smiled.

“Look like you came out just in time. Let’s eat.”

He took the plates and brought them to the low table by his couch rather than his never used dining table. Zagreus followed like a puppy and eagerly took his first bites. This. This was _incredible_!

“I didn’t know you could cook like that!,” he blurted out with a mouth full of noodles.

“I don’t often, but I thought… well. I’m glad you like it.”

“Well, given how it could be my last meal and all.” He had tried to make it sound nonchalant, but it came out in that dreadful voice of his that he really did not like. The sad one. Zagreus was never sad.

He ate his spaghetti in silence, put the plate down and thanked Thanatos like a good boy. The cook himself hadn’t eaten all of it, but set it down as well. Before he could say anything, Zagreus turned on the TV, landed on a random channel that showed some famous cook create some new dishes. It was well enough. He let his head fall back to the couch, and glanced at Thanatos.

“If it’s really that bad…,” he said quietly. “I don’t know how to tell my father. I don’t even know if he’ll care.”

“Of course he’d care, he’s your father,” Thanatos told him, and Zagreus had to laugh.

“You don’t know him. He refuses to tell me who my birth mother is. I’ve asked him again and again and-,” he broke off, not wanting to cry in front of Thanatos.

But he failed.

Pressing his palms to his eyes, he had hoped he could make it stop but now they were flowing freely down his cheeks and he knew the floodgates had been opened. By his side Thanatos, to his credit, did not run from him. Instead he inched closer, and there was a warm hand on his back and he turned. Suddenly he was engulfed in a hug again, and he could not hold back.

Clinging to Thanatos’ shirt, he let it all out. Sobbing, crying, he was sure that he wasn’t a pretty sight but Thanatos never let him go, even when he started babbling nonsensical things about his father and the mother that he never knew, how he might never know her now. It felt so exhausting, all of this, with the weight of his heart still there when he had finally calmed down somewhat and realised he was lying on Thanatos’ chest, who was rubbing his back.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know where that came from,” Zagreus whispered. He had made a mess of Thanatos’ shirt, which surely had been expensive.

“Fear of death makes people evaluate their lives,” he replied. “I.. I can help you find her.”

“Hm?” Zagreus managed to prop himself up on an elbow to look at Thanatos.

“Your mother.”

“But… how?”

“The only thing I spend money on is the overpriced gin and tonic at the House of Hades,” Thanatos explained. “Doing what I do… I have a lot. And money gets you things. Or information.”

“You’d do that for me? Because I’m dying?,” Zagreus asked.

“Don’t say that,” Thanatos reached out, caressed his cheek for a moment and Zagreus sighed. Then those fingers came to grasp his chin. “I may be wrong. I am doing it… for you.”

“But you’re never wrong.”

Zagreus did not know what else to say. They had kissed before but that had been… before. When his heart had been okay, or at least he had not known anything else. Thanatos’ golden eyes drew him in, made him forget. It was better to look into these eyes than to think of all the possible things that could happen.

But he might be gone soon.

“Kiss me,” he said suddenly. Though it seemed Thanatos did not need his encouragement. Even as he said those words he was pulled lower, and felt those soft lips on his own once more.

When they kissed, he felt that warmth again. The one from his dream. The warmth of the river of blood, gently draped around him like a blanket. When that kiss deepened, the world around them fell away, and all that remained was blood and death.

“I need you, Than,” he whispered against his lips. He could still taste him on his tongue, and wanted to again. But he needed more than that.

“Zag you’re- you’re upset. I can’t-”

“Please,” Zagreus interrupted. “I want to. I really do. For so long actually… I just need to not think for a while. Please.”

Thanatos didn’t say that he would give in, but his hands wandered over his back, and then his ass. Squeezing, the two of them sat up, and with surprising strength, Thanatos lifted him. He let out a rather undignified yelp and wrapped his legs around him as to not fall down right away. Thanatos grinned at his surprised expression, and brought them both back to the bed. The soft bed, that was still warm from where he had been sleeping here before, but now warmth became heat as Thanatos started kissing his chest.

Where his heart would be, he lingered.

“I can be wrong,” he whispered. Not to Zagreus, but to his heart. “I promise I can be wrong.”

As if moving on its own, Zagreus hand came to brush through Thanatos’ hair, then kept it there. He looked up at him, and those golden eyes brought him a sliver of peace once more. How did he do it? Was Zagreus so hopelessly in love already?

He watched the kisses travel lower, watched as gentle, skilled fingers pulled down the loose sweatpants, along with his underwear. And he watched the greatest doctor in the country lick along his length. He shuddered under that touch, and briefly closed his eyes. But the temptation to watch him was too great.

Under his touch Zagreus got hard quickly, almost embarrassingly so. But Thanatos’ eyes and his lips and his… everything, was too gorgeous that he could not look away. Thanatos seemed comfortable, and eager to go down on him, settled between his legs he took his time to play with him. Licking along his length Zagreus also felt him cup his balls, teasing them along with his cock. He sighed, feeling his cheeks flushing at the sight.

“Than, ah-,” he broke off, his sigh turning into a slow, lazy moan as Thanatos took him in his mouth. And then- just kept going. “Oh shit…”

Thanatos chuckled around him, and the vibration sent another shiver of pleasure through his body. He was panting now, watching this gorgeous sight and feeling the perfect heat around him. As amazing as this was, he wanted to feel Thanatos closer. Inside.

He tugged on his hair and made him look up, then fumbled in his bedside table for the lube he kept there. Not a very subtle hint, but it worked. Thanatos took it and coated his fingers, let them brush against Zagreus’ hole after he had spread his legs wide for him. The touch was light and gentle, so that Zagreus finally fell back on the pillow to sigh. He wanted to let go, completely, and for Thanatos to catch him.

“You okay?,” he heard his voice much closer. With his eyes still closed, Zagreus nodded.

“Please keep going,” he whispered.

“Okay,” Thanatos started kissing his neck, now by his side as he gently pushed inside him.

Zagreus was by no means a virgin, and he could deal with a bit of pain or stretch but somehow with Thanatos, there was no discomfort at all. With the way he kissed his neck, it was like he already knew what Zagreus liked, and where he was most sensitive. It did not take a moment more before he found that sweet spot inside him, and a shudder ran through Zagreus’ entire body.

“Oh gods, Than,” Zagreus blurted out. “Can you- ugh, I want you.”

He was breathing heavily against Thanatos’ lips as he stopped kissing him, and thought that now his eyes were open again, he could detect a slight blush. Not from embarrassment, but from the heat between them.

“Give me a moment,” Thanatos told him, and then there was another finger that stretched him wider. Again Zagreus felt himself shudder, but he was held close and did not feel unsafe. Quite the contrary. In an odd way, he felt open, all this felt so… intimate. It was scary and beautiful at the same time.

“Are you so eager to have me?,” his deep voice was right by his ear again, but felt as if it penetrated his very soul. “Don’t worry, I’ll be taking care of you.”

“Please…,” Zagreus whimpered. It was all he wanted.

“Here, raise your hips for a moment.”

Zagreus did as he was told, and felt a pillow gently placed under him. He tilted his head a little, this was indeed a little nicer, how come he had never thought of that?

Thanatos let his hands run along the inside of his thighs, making sure they were spread nice and wide for him. The touch alone made Zagreus take in a sharp breath, and let it out shakily. Just then Thanatos leaned over him, and they shared another kiss. He did not want him to pull away. Not now, not ever. So he wrapped his arms around him, held him close so that he could feel the breath on his lips again. Breath was life. Life that seemed so close to slipping away.

“Than,” his voice was shaking, but he let himself be vulnerable. If he couldn’t be that way with anyone else… he wanted to be with him.

“It’s alright,” Thanatos whispered. And just then, Zagreus felt a pressure against his entrance, his cock slowly sliding into him. Being stretched wider and wider, Zagreus bit on his lower lip. The feeling was so intense, more so than he had ever experienced. “Tell me if it’s too much.”

“No it’s- it’s perfect,” Zagreus gasped, and locked eyes with Thanatos. Who watched him so closely as he pushed deeper, glanced down to where his lips were parted in his moan. “You’re big. I like that.”

Thanatos gave him this adorable sheepish smile at the compliment, and Zagreus couldn’t help but lean up and steal another kiss. Just then he felt Thanatos press against him, now completely inside. One with him.

“You’re so warm,” Thanatos gently stole another kiss, their nose brushing against one another’s. “Really warm. I like that.”

“Kinda perfect, huh?”

Zagreus’ hands wandered from his neck to his broad shoulders, but came back to caress his cheek. He was so lovely, no wonder he had gotten a crush on him the moment he had walked into the bar. Strong jaw, lovely eyes… eyes that were gentle only when they looked at him.

“If only I wasn’t-,” Zagreus was interrupted with a kiss, a kiss that deepened and took his breath away. Yet it left him wanting more.

“Don’t. You’re safe now, okay?”

“Okay.”

For the time being, Zagreus was enchanted with his words. Whatever he said was true, and he was safe in his embrace, his touches, the pleasure that wrapped around them both like a comforting blanket. And so he let go, trusting that Thanatos would take care of him, as he continued to do. Words were lost in moans, calling of each other’s name, as Thanatos thrust into him at a steady rhythm.

Those eyes. Those golden eyes drew him in, again and again. Until he gave in and they watched each other, Zagreus seeing a drop of sweat roll down his temple, hair sticking to it now. But he never stopped, only whispered soothing things to calm him, things that Zagreus believed because they came from him.

“Than I-”

“Yeah, me too,” Thanatos told him. As he leaned down, his thrusts became a little more erratic, hips snapping into him a little more roughly. And finally, as they kissed, Zagreus felt him spill inside. Almost at the same time, he came over his own stomach.

He had not been brought over the edge like that in a long time. And it felt amazing.

Zagreus was still in a haze when he watched Thanatos clean them both up a little. Suddenly feeling so sleepy, he couldn’t bring himself to help much. It seemed he didn’t have to, as Thanatos slipped under the covers with him, and pulled him close. With Zagreus’ head on his chest, he could hear the still somewhat fast heartbeat that slowly, so very slowly, started to even out. If only his own heart would beat like that.

Then he felt a hand in his hair, gently playing with it, and despite his tears, he fell asleep.

It was a rather gentle awakening in the morning, despite the words ‘ _it’s almost time for your appointment_ ’ accompanying the sweet touch on his skin, and the even sweeter kiss to his forehead. He felt a little bleary, had to blink a few times before Thanatos came into view.

“What’s the time…?”

“Almost 11,” Thanatos told him.

“Wait, don’t you have to work?”

“I cancelled everything, except your appointment.”

“But-,” Zagreus tried to protest, but Thanatos wasn’t having it.

“Get dressed. I’m making sure everything goes smoothly.”

“Than- wait.”

Finally he stopped and Zagreus managed to scramble to the other side of the bed to hold on to him. Thanatos relaxed then, and wrapped him into another embrace.

“It’s alright, I’ll be there the entire time,” he said.

“You don’t have to be,” Zagreus whispered.

“I’ll be there anyway.”

Thanatos indulged him for a moment longer, brushed new tears that had formed from his cheek, and helped him get dressed. Not that he was incapable of doing so by himself, but having Thanatos so close to him really did feel soothing in a way. But the closer they got to the hospital the more Zagreus’ heart was racing.

But he really was there, every step of the way. A small part of him had really thought that Thanatos may not be able to, but during some parts, he was even holding his hand. Only when he had to wait for the results did he leave briefly. Zagreus got startled when he walked back into the room with him.

To his surprise, Thanatos mumbled something, and walked right back out.

“What the hell was that?,” Zagreus said to himself. He was starting to get nervous again.

A little while later he returned though, someone else in tow. Another doctor, it seemed, with curly hair and a band in it that somewhat held back the chaotic mess of it. They were still exchanging some files back and forth, muttering to each other.

“Uhm… Than?,” Zagreus asked carefully.

“Oh! Yes, apologies, I had to get a consult,” he explained. “This is my brother, Hypnos.”

“Oh, your brother’s a doctor too?”

“Yeah, haha,” Hypnos giggled for some reason, but it sounded adorable. Already he was the complete opposite of Thanatos. “Not really my speciality, this here, but it’s clear enough.”

“Clear?,” Zagreus asked. Was this it, his diagnose for death? “Than…?”

“He’s doing sleep studies currently, though more often than not on himself.” Thanatos did not look approving, and Zagreus wondered how someone getting a lot of sleep could look like that. Either way…

“My heart, Than,” Zagreus reminded him. “What is it?”

“Right!,” Hypnos’ head shot up to look at him as if he had been about to fall asleep. “I can’t believe it, honestly!”

“By the gods, will you finally tell me?!”

“Oh sure,” he giggled again. “It’s just- My brother has never been wrong before!”

“Wrong?” Immediately, his eyes filled with tears. Thanatos had been so convinced so… “That means…?”

“It’s not ventricular fibrillation, as I thought. It’s treatable,” Thanatos blurted out. He had dropped the documents on his table and rushed to him, taking his hand. “I’m going to give you some medication, and we’ll see how you feel after that. But even if we have to move to something else, it’s very, very treatable.”

“I like the sound of that,” Zagreus slurred his words as the relief completely overwhelmed him. Somewhere in the back of his mind he registered the door closing again - Hypnos had left - but now he was starting to shake and he could not stop it.

Thanatos’ hands on his shoulders came to his back and where he stood he pulled Zagreus into a hug. The kind that was so tight it almost hurt, but was just what he needed at the moment. Against Thanatos’ strong chest, he took in a shaky breath.

Then he remembered last night.

“Than you were so good to me you were so kind I don’t know why if you really like me or not I needed you but you didn’t have to go all the way I hope I didn’t pressure you because I was being dramatic you don’t have to stay with me or anything like that it can be a one time thing!”

He had to take in another breath after that, still shaking and confused by his own rambling. He just did not want Thanatos to feel like he _had_ to be with him just because he thought he had been dying. Looking back on it now it seemed so ridiculous and yet… Being with Thanatos had been incredible.

“Hey,” Thanatos’ voice made him look up, and he quickly tried to brush the tears from his own cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” Zagreus said quickly. “I freaked out.”

“Understandably so, I didn’t help with that,” Thanatos whispered.

“You helped me so much, I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“Zagreus?”

“Yeah?”

He felt hands cupping his cheeks, but he was mesmerised once more by those golden eyes. He was completely and utterly in love with this man.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he finally said.

“R-Really?”

Hearing those words, his heart started to dance again. Only this time, it didn’t scare him anymore. His heart would be okay.

“Does that mean we can go on a date?,” Zagreus asked.

And then, for the first time, he heard Thanatos laugh. A deep, joyous laugh that made Zagreus smile and blush a little, it struck his heart so deeply.

“Yes, Zagreus. Yes we can.”


End file.
